photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Lawrence High senior Zaxton King (2) goes up for a shot during a home game vs. Olathe North on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

There simply wasn’t enough gas in the tank for the Lawrence High boys basketball team in an 82-61 loss to top-3 Olathe North at home on Tuesday night.

Within reach right up until the fourth quarter, LHS (5-12) fell behind late and the Eagles (14-3) — backed by sophomore Cam Love (24 points) and junior Jaalan Watson (20 points) — ran away with the game late to snap the Lions’ three-game winning streak.

However, it was LHS senior Zaxton King leading the floor with 30 points on 10 of 19 shooting; fellow senior Gordon Fineday and junior Avery Johnson added 11 points apiece to the effort.

LHS coach Nick Wood said O-North didn’t give his group any slack out there.

“They come at you in waves,” Wood said. “They’re skilled, they’re athletic and strong and they’ve got a really good bench. For us to challenge their physicality all game long — and we were able to that for quite a while — that feels good but it got away from us at the end.

“I told the guys, we should feel some disappointment in us because we’ve grown to a point where we can go out and compete against a team like that.”

Following the trend of recent home contests, LHS wasn’t shy about putting up early shots and rode three consecutive 3-point baskets between Johnson and Fineday to a 9-7 lead under three minutes after tipoff.

Eight first-quarter points by O-North – and two 3s by seniors TJ Porter (10 points) and Aiden Bruce (11 points) – helped the Eagles catch the Lions to go up 19-16 to cap off the high-speed start. LHS, opening the second quarter scoreless for over three minutes, quickly found themselves down 12 points.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Olathe North senior Aiden Bruce (2) puts up a shot during a game at Lawrence High on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

King, on his way to a floor-leading 13 points at halftime, lifted LHS out of its slump and within reach of the Eagles 37-31 by the end of the second quarter. The LHS senior kept his tune at the start of the third quarter, nearly doubling his first-half output in the third quarter.

Leaning on King – and five points between Johnson and Edward Roman Nose – LHS still had a prayer even as Love and Watson hit in double-figure scoring. A late 3 shaved O-North’s lead to 54-49 just before the end of the third quarter.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Lawrence High sophomore Josh Galbreath (21) goes up for a shot during a home game vs. Olathe North on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

Wood pointed to mental toughness heading into the fourth quarter as the main setback for the Lions.

“We talk about being mentally and physically tough all game,” Wood said. “The boys have done that lately and that’s what we’ve been for the past month or so. That kind of mindset has allowed us to go out and compete and win some basketball games.”

The fourth quarter was a big one for O-North sophomore Sam Simmons Jr., who hit seven of his nine totals points late to help the Eagles outpace LHS. Watson added five points of his own down the stretch to combat King, Fineday and junior Banks Bowen’s combined 12 fourth-quarter points.

LHS travels to Free State for the City Showdown on Friday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Lawrence High senior Kem Allen looks for an open pass during a home game vs. Olathe North on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

BOX SCORE:

LHS 16 15 18 12 – 61

O-North 19 18 17 28 – 82

Lawrence High (61): Zaxton King 10-19 4-7 30; Avery Johnson 3-6 2-2 11; Banks Bowen 1-3 0-0 2; Gordon Fineday 3-9 4-4 11; Josh Galbreath 0-3 0-0 -. Totals: 19-45 13-17 61.

Olathe North (82): TJ Porter 3-5 2-2 10; Aiden Bruce 3-7 4-6 11; Sam Simmons Jr. 4-5 0-3 9; Cam Love 10-13 4-4 24; Derrick Cooper 0-5 0-0 -. Totals: 30-53 16-25 82.

3-point goals: LHS: 10-24 (); O-North: 6-21 (). Turnovers: LHS 16, O-North 7. Fouled Out: None.

O-North escapes LHS girls in late shootout at home

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Lawrence High senior Azura Clark (2) looks for an open teammate during a home game vs. Olathe North on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

Lawrence High senior Cyrenity Hardy hit two major 3-point baskets in crunch time, but her sixth attempt behind the arc just wasn’t meant to be in a down-to-the-wire 45-42 loss to Olathe North on Tuesday at home.

Forced to foul late, LHS (9-8) got two cracks at the Eagles (8-9) when senior Asia Lee (24 total points) split her shots during two trips to the free-throw line within less than 30 seconds to go in the ballgame.

Hardy (nine points), who knocked down a 3 to tie the game with two minutes left and another to pull the Lions within two points of O-North with just 17 seconds left, found the ball in her hands when the clock finally winded down, but her shot fell short.

“That’s kind of what you expect from a Sunflower League game,” LHS coach Jeff Dickson said. “Asia Lee is a Power 5 player and they surround her with some really hardworking kids.”

Hardy’s late three-point shooting was hardly the only storyline for the Lions, who finished with multiple key contributors in freshman Cami Nauholz (11 points), senior Emma Roman Nose (nine points) and senior Azura Clark (eight points).

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Lawrence High senior Emma Roman Nose celebrates during a timeout during a home game vs. Olathe North on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

Starting the night fast, LHS claimed an early 6-0 lead on two 3s by Destiny Savannah and Roman Nose. O-North, opening the ballgame just 2 of 9 from the field and managed to slow down the Lions, but still trailed 8-5 when the first quarter wrapped.

Lee, an O-North sophomore, turned on the jets in the second quarter, racking up 10 first-half points all before the break, to hand the Eagles an 18-17 lead with 3:12 still to play.

Building on 3-pointers by Hardy and Clark, Roman Nose and senior Miri Pickman constructed a late 4-0 run to overtake O-North 24-20 headed into halftime.

“In a game like that, there’s 50 things you could’ve point to and say you would’ve won,” Dickson said.

Lee, on her way to 17 points by the end of the third quarter, opened the second half reclaiming a one-possession lead for the Eagles with 6:19 still to play. The Lions, hit by two more 3s by O-North senior Bailey Dillon and sophomore Lailah Austin, entered the fourth quarter down 35-32 with six points between Nauholz and Clark serving as the only resistance.

Three turnovers held LHS back at the start of the fourth quarter, with the Eagles sustaining its 3-point advantage over four minutes back onto the floor. Lee, finding the rim twice on two of the Lions’ turnovers, placed O-North ahead 39-34 with just 4:35 remaining.

Down the stretch, LHS leaned heavily on two 3s by Hardy and a layup by Nauholz to make one last stab at the Eagles. Dickson said his team, especially late in the season, won’t be tapping out of crucial league matchups.

“I’m proud of the way we fought back there at the end,” Dickson said. “They made more shots than we did. We’ll get back to work tomorrow and try to get better.”

LHS travels to Free State for the City Showdown on Friday. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE:

LHS 8 16 8 10 – 42

O-North 5 15 15 10 – 45

Lawrence High (42) Emma Roman Nose 3-5 2-2 9; Destiny Savannah 1-6 0-0 3; Delilah Barnes 0-0 0-0 -; Cami Nauholz 5-5 1-3 11; Cyrenity Hardy 3-8 0-2 9. Totals: 16-31 4-9 42.

Olathe North (45) Bailey Dillon 2-3 0-0 6; Rhema Stemmons 0-1 0-0 -; Asia Lee 9-15 3-7 24; Allie Workman 2-7 0-1 5; Lailah Simmons 2-3 0-0 4. Totals: 17-37 4-12 45.

3-point goals: LHS: 6-14 (); O-North: 4-9 (). Turnovers: LHS 14, O-North 7. Fouled Out: None.